Thinking Under the Moon
by Cashmeritan
Summary: There against the moon, was the silhouette of Hatake Kakashi. He glanced at her over his shoulder, his arm still outstretched with his katana in his hand, dripping drops of blood intermittently. KakaSaku


**A/N: **This was a bit of an experimental one-shot, as far as exploring characters goes. I wanted to really delve into a somewhat ordinary possibility for how Sakura and Kakashi could get together, as it's an avid topic in my imagination. It didn't end quite the way I had wanted it to, but over all I am pleased. I will probably write another, similar story describing things in another way. Yes, I do realize that Kakashi is a bit out of character. xD The title comes from the translated title of a Malice Mizer song! I believe the Japanese title is, 'Gekka no Yasoukyouku' or something, if my memory serves me right. XD

The image of Kakashi in ANBU get-up against the moon is inspired by a picture I found on myxer and downloaded as a cell-phone background. I wish I knew who drew the picture, as it is immensely sexy, but alas. If any of you know the name of the artist and such, please let me know as I would like to give them credit for inspiring a lot of this story! (I'm sorry, but when you come face to face with hotness each time you open up your cell phone, it's hard not to get a little bit inspired.)

Please review! It would mean the world to me. :D

--

**Thinking Under the Moon**

* * *

Sakura remembered the day she joined ANBU quite well. She had been full of jitters that morning, unable to get an adequate night's sleep due to her sheer excitement. This was her day - the day she would finally be regarded by her peers as a true adult, the highest level of shinobi (aside from Hokage and other related positions, of course).

She had carefully knocked on Tsunade's office door, swallowing hard as a nervous sweat broke out on her palms. From behind the door, a casual bellow of, 'COME IN!' had signaled her entrance, and she turned the doorknob, savoring the moment.

Inside the room was a small group of people, all there to congratulate her and witness her ANBU entrance ceremony. Naruto, Ino, Yamato, Sai, Kakashi, Shizune and Tsunade were all there, smiling at her. Sakura gulped and sauntered up to Tsunade's desk, head bowed.

"Well, Sakura," Tsunade finally spoke after a few moments of respectful silence. "I can't say that I didn't think this day would come, I had just simply hoped that it wouldn't." She chuckled. "I had hoped to keep you around here a little bit longer."

Sakura lifted her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

"But..." Tsunade rose, turning to Shizune who bowed and rested a small fabric-wrapped package in her arms, and then slowly made her way around her desk. She grinned broadly. "I guess it's time for me to finally let go. You're finally grown up, now."

Tears had pricked at the corners of Sakura's eyes. "Maa, Shishou, you're getting all sappy on me," Sakura muttered, her lips quivering.

Tsunade strode over and handed her the package. "It's your new uniform. I want you to see me later this afternoon about your first mission."

Sakura gingerly folded back the fabric wrapping, and took a sharp breath when she ran her fingers over the material of her new ANBU uniform. She looked up at Tsunade quickly, and beamed.

"Thank you, shishou..."

Her friends and clapped, and Naruto had whooped out a, "YEAH, GO SAKURA-CHAN!" before the memory faded out.

--

Sakura received her tattoo that evening, in a dinky little tattoo parlor on the edge of town. She had clutched at her seat, gritting her teeth with tears slowly dragging down her cheeks through the whole process, and she couldn't help but feel like a wimp. This was to be her adulthood.

--

Her first mission had been a simple one, more of a surveillance mission than anything. Her group was split into pairs, and she was to be paired with Anko. They would be traveling overnight through the forests providing a border between Fire and Water countries, creating a small campsite, and then scouting from there. There was word of a potential uprising against them from a large village just beyond the border, and if that was true then they wanted to snuff the problem out before it truly surfaced.

The uniform felt strange on her. She felt like a child playing ninja despite her years of experience, and she marveled at the long, lustrous blade that slid secure in the sheath at her hip. The tattoo on her arm still burned, and seeing so many of the adults that she had known and looked up to in her adolescence regarding her as an equal made her feel just a little bit shaken inside. The mask that had been assigned to her hung from her opposite hip, a fox that appeared to be laughing.

Kakashi led the mission. Sakura couldn't help but marvel at the way his uniform hugged his body so perfectly. It accentuated the lean, toned curves of his figure, and the whimsically grinning animal mask on his hip seemed to suit him - lax and friendly, until provoked. He dished out the orders with a certain business quality to his voice - of course she had heard Kakashi mean business before, but he had always had this ensuing softness to his voice, especially when he used to wink at her, Sasuke and Naruto just before their Team 7 missions. Seeing him so hardened and so adult seemed just a little bit foreign to her.

The rest of the team members nodded as he explained, and she found herself growing more and more distracted by the minute as the lecture went on. Her eyes zoned out, resting somewhere to the left of Kakashi's ANBU mask, though she surely wasn't focused there. Her mind began to drift off, thinking about how excited she was to make Tsunade even more proud, and how she would have the ability to brag about the mission to Naruto once she returned.

"Sakura." Kakashi's voice cut through her musings like the sharpened blade of a katana. Sakura's head snapped up, and a blush spilled over her cheeks as the members of the team gave her looks.

"Y-Yes, senpai?"

"I'm just making sure that you're paying attention," he said. Sakura bit her lip, and gave a quick nod. Before she looked away, she saw him give her a quick wink - so fast that she almost missed it, and from there he continued the explanation.

Something warm had spread through her abdomen, as if to cover the embarrassed leak of emotion. When they set out, her eyes accidentally flew to Kakashi's posterior end.

--

What was meant to be a quick, clean mission without any risk of injury (after all, it was just for reconnaissance) turned out to be more than just a _bit_ of a failure. Sure enough, the village along the border was definitely planning an uprising, and they had been out in the hopes of surveillance as well. Needless to say, a clash of forces followed, and it hadn't helped that the enemy were armed to the teeth.

Sakura was hidden behind a tree, struggling to keep from breathing heavily out of fear. The groans of wounded men dotted the area, and she wasn't sure if her comrade Anko was all right or not. Her back pressed against the rough bark, and her hand was poised over the hilt of her katana, ready to pull it out and strike at an opponent if need be. She clenched her eyes shut, feeling yet again that she simply did not belong here.

She craned her neck slightly, trying to use the light of the moon (it was full and bright) to see if she could spot any fallen comrades. She was sure there wouldn't be any fatal casualties, but she wanted to sneak away quietly to make sure - and to provide healing services if need be. She crouched slightly, and stepped away from the tree, squinting to make out the shapes of people on the ground.

The moon spilled its light over one in particular, the face of whom she recognized instantly. It was Shiranui Genma, breathing raggedly on the ground with his hand pressed over his chest. Sakura bit back a yelp and she quickly made her way over to him. She wasn't sure how many other people had fallen, or if many other of her comrades had fallen - many were probably hiding, awaiting the last enemy to retreat before they exposed themselves.

Sakura sank to her knees beside Genma, pressing her finger over his lips in order to keep him silent as his eyes widened. She quickly removed her gloves and brought chakra to her palms, nudging his hand aside and holding them over his chest. Genma's eyes softened in relief, and he mouthed a gratified 'thank you' to her. The only response she gave was a slight smile. Listening intently as she healed him, it sounded as though the fighting had dulled, there was a clink of metal on metal now and then, but aside from that there was nothing. Just silence, save for the sound of restless crickets.

As she withdrew her hands, she let out a soft sigh, until she saw Genma's eyes shoot open in horror. Sakura turned her head slowly, wondering what he was staring at, and came face to face with the enemy, his blade poised at her throat.

She gaped up at him, feeling her mouth go dry. Her reflex to pull out her sword had died completely, and she was left there, staring at him in dumb fright.

It happened too fast. Something cut her, but she didn't feel it. She rather saw it; a splash of blood that covered her view of the moon as she crashed backwards over Genma.

She saw her assailant stand, and he leaned over her, perhaps to deliver a final blow. She remembered reciting a quick prayer for her mother in her head, before...

"UNGH!" The man was knocked to the ground by something, Sakura wasn't quite sure what. Her vision was getting rather cloudy, and it was frustrating. She felt around, getting a handful of grass and pushed herself up the best that she could, her arms wobbling beneath her weight.

There, against the moon, was the silhouette of Hatake Kakashi, his crimson scarf flapping in a soft breeze. He glanced at her over his shoulder, his arm still outstretched with his katana in his hand, dripping drops of blood intermittently.

Sakura parted her lips, trying to say his name, but nothing came out except a very wet, warm cough.

The image of him, so statuesque and so lovely against the backdrop of the moon made her heart clench. It was all she could see, and the way his silver caught in the moonlight and his sharingan illuminated itself like a bright red harvest moon... He looked so handsome, and he had just saved her life.

That was when she passed out.

--

Sakura woke up in the hospital infirmary, and it seemed as though the whole ordeal in the forest had been a dark and stormy dream that she had only just woken up from. Brightness flooded her vision, and she looked around with wide curious eyes, feeling like a newborn kitten in a strange and sunny world. She recognized the white of the hospital bed, and an array of plugs attached to her wrist, just below the heel of her palm.

She was in the hospital. So what had happened?

Time passed, spent contentedly looking around in wonder as she continued to wake up. There was a jar, filled half-way with water and a bouquet of freshly picked roses at her bedside, along with a stack of colorful envelopes. Cards?

After a while, a young medic entered the room, saw that Sakura was awake, and promptly shrieked and ran out again calling for Tsunade.

Tsunade appeared, her long medic coat floating behind her as she took swift steps up to Sakura's bed. She examined her, lifting her arms and shining a light in her eyes. Presumably satisfied, she stood up and folded her arms across her chest.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

Sakura was afraid to make the effort to speak, remembering the unpleasant sensation from her last attempt. She finally pushed, and raspy syllables ensued. "Okay, I guess..."

"You gave us all a good fright." Tsunade's hands rested on her hips, and she couldn't help but give Sakura a soft smile. "Do you remember anything about what happened?"

"Not much." Sakura definitely didn't sound liker herself. Her voice felt like a dried-out raisin, and her throat scratched with each word she spoke. She grimaced, and swallowed painfully.

"It appears as though you had your throat slit on that hellish ANBU mission, and you were losing a lot of blood by the time you made it back here." Tsunade examined her fingernails.

"W-What?!" Sakura gawked at her. Okay, that had definitely hurt. She winced a little - remind her not to yell out suddenly again.

"You're damn lucky that it missed your jugular, it didn't go too deep. You were just bleeding like crazy," Tsunade sighed, wringing her hands. "Everyone was so worried, we thought for sure that we were going to lose you..."

"But Kakashi-sensei," Sakura began, but she didn't know where to go from there.

"Yes. If it wasn't for him, apparently, you'd be dead for sure." Tsunade gave a vague smile.

"What about everyone else?"

"Some minor injuries, by now they're just about all healed up. And you are too almost, it seems."

Sakura reached up and touched the taut skin of her throat, surprised to feel the ridge of a few stictches. "So I...survived?"

"Mmhmm. We're going to want to remove those stitches probably in a week or two, depending on how well you heal from here," Tsunade said. "How's it feel to be alive?"

Sakura tried to disregard her question, she had one thing on her mind. "It feels fine, but where's Kakashi?"

"Funny you should ask. He's been at your bedside nearly constantly since the day you were moved here," Tsunade snorted. "I'm sure he's at home catching up on some well-needed rest by now. But he'll be back soon, don't worry."

Sakura nodded. She had to thank him when she got the chance... But the thought of him having been there at her side for all that time? Granted, she didn't know how much time had passed since then, everything was a blur, but it made her feel. Now that she thought of it, she could remember short instances where it seemed like she was awake, however only for a minute at a time - seeing a nurse flush out her IV or the feel of a cold compress on her forehead. She was sure she had been pretty sedated and doped up on Tsunade's best painkillers.

That night was very lonely. She felt a distant desire to eat, but the thought of what had happened to her throat had dissuaded her from the idea. She watched the room grow dark, feeling uncomfortably restless after so much sleep. She was wide awake and alone.

At some point she must have nodded off, for the next thing she knew it was morning, and Kakashi was entering her hospital room, clutching a small stack of Icha Icha books. Her eyes lit up, and she watched him pull up a chair and plop down beside her. His eyes were dim and cold, as if he were a walking corpse.

"Sensei..." Sakura said softly.

Kakashi's head jerked up, and she saw something, she wasn't sure what, spread over his masked face.

--

After that mishap, Sakura healed according to plan without any real damage left to her throat and underlying tissue. She decided to stray a little from ANBU work, instead tending to ANBU members in the hospital if they had been injured on the job. She figured it suited her well, after all she was a medic, and this was what she did best.

Kakashi visited her now and then, and Sakura had a sneaking feeling that their friendship had been growing more and more. After her hospitalization, it seemed that something had shifted between them. Instead of being mere acquaintances who just happened to be ex-student and teacher, he seemed to think of her now more as an equal. At times, she found herself forgetting that he had even been her sensei, though she still found herself regarding him as such absentmindedly. Old habits died hard.

In fact, their closeness had gotten to such a level that Ino often teased her about it when they hung out.

"I swear to God, every other time I see you, Kakashi-sensei's right there, too. What is it with you two? Are you dating?"

Sakura would blush and vehemently deny any such accusations. Of course, she thought her ex-sensei was dashingly handsome. She had caught a glimpse of his maskless face one day when they had wandered out to Ichiraku. Just for a split moment, yet it was definitely longer than it could have been. He had flashed her a knowing smile before tugging the fabric back up over his lips, and she had been left there, gaping at him.

But she liked to think that, while there wasn't any awkwardness preventing such a relationship from occurring, that they had such a comfortable vibe between them that allowed them to just be friends without necessarily needing more.

Often, he would show up outside the hospital at the end of her shift, just to walk her home. They would walk in silence, exchanging a few conversational words here and there, and when they reached her door, they would embrace stiffly before she disappeared inside - or rather, Sakura would embrace him, and he would stiffly reciprocate the act with a gentle hand on her back.

It was strange, she knew it was. But she had no earthly idea what went on in Kakashi's head anyway.

--

One night as he walked her home from work, he broached a sensitive topic.

"Sakura, why don't you get back into ANBU work?"

Sakura had stiffened, feeling her throat tighten almost painfully - it seemed to flex in a stiff, painful way whenever she was confronted with an uncomfortable subject after her injury. Her steps began to slow, and she looked off towards the distant hills, far away beyond the bounds of the village.

"If it's about your injury, you can rest assured," Kakashi continued. "So many people will have your back, and things are different now. A year has passed, and you yourself know that things are safer now, the evidence is right there at work with you everyday. Less and less ANBU-nins have been showing up injured. You know that, right?"

"It's not about that," Sakura grunted. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?" Kakashi raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

Sakura's hands hang limply at her sides as she walked. "It's just that..." The sunset was glaring at her, and she squinted to avoid its full wrath. "It's just that I don't really think I'm cut out for it."

"Sakura, you went on one real mission, and a couple of minor ones. You've barely had a taste for being in ANBU, yet."

"I know, but I've had enough of one to point me away from it, and into another direction." Sakura glanced at him. "I'm meant to be at the hospital, healing people. Not so much as a medic on a team of other ninja, but taking care of everyday people as well. I've had my taste of real action."

She saw him open up his mouth to speak beneath his mask, but no words came out. He shut his mouth.

"So you're happy doing this type of work? I always thought it was your way of punishing yourself for something."

Sakura whirled around to face him fully, her feet coming to a halt. "'Punishing'!?"

Kakashi shrugged. "You have a habit of being rather hard on yourself, and when you feel that you've done something wrong everyone can see you torture yourself over it. I thought that maybe this was just a long-term version of it."

Sakura shook her head violently. "No! No, no, no! I love the work, I do. I really do."

"You're sure?" Kakashi rested his hand on his hip.

"Sensei," Sakura began, noting the strange reaction cross over his face. "Trust me."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed a bit, and his normally lax posture tightened swiftly. It was as though someone had stuck a spoon with a bitter-tasting substance on it into his mouth.

"What's wrong?" she asked, brow furrowing.

Kakashi shook his head, giving her a false crinkle of the eyes. "It's nothing. I'm just glad, that's all. As long as you're doing something that makes you happy, then I'm glad."

Yet it felt like a lie. Sakura gave a weak smile.

"All right."

--

She had been meandering towards Ichiraku, intent on grabbing a quick supper in her 20 minute break time. She glanced at her watch. She had plenty of time.

She stepped up to the stand, and Ayame the owner's daughter took her order, providing a sweet smile. Sakura decided to sit at one of the tables to wait, which were divided by thin screens of rice paper. She plopped down at the first table, and something caught her attention very shortly after.

It was Kakashi's voice. From the sound of it, he was a table or two behind her. He was accompanied by another male, Genma by the sound of it.

"How long are you going to go on like this?" Came Genma's voice.

"Going on like what?" That was Kakashi.

In the gap between their responses, Sakura listened to see if she could hear any other voices, but none made themselves heard.

"Like...Like this! You follow her around day after day, like this guard dog. I don't get it. Do you want in on her pants or something? Ever since that one mission-gone-wrong, you've been like this. Like you're at her constant beck and call."

Chills went up Sakura's spine, and her heart clenched. They were talking about her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kakashi said.

"How can you _not_? Are you in love with her?"

"Of course not. She's my old student. I just want to be there for her, to protect her."

"Yeah, so does every other teacher when it comes to their students. But Sakura's not your student anymore. She's a big girl now - she's what, 21? I think she can safely walk herself home from work everyday without you having to be there."

"It's not _every_ day," Kakashi insisted. "And she and I are just friends. We have a _friendship_, Genma."

"This just isn't like you. I don't get it."

There was a long pregnant moment of silence, and the hairs on the back of Sakura's neck were erect at the ready, and she tried to crane her neck in order to hear the rest of the conversation.

"I think that I see Rin in her, Genma."

"Rin? Yeah, I guess I see it, too."

"And I lost Rin, due to my carelessness and the fact that I wasn't there for her... And I almost lost Sakura, too."

"Yes, but Kakashi - Sakura's fine. She's not dead and she isn't going anywhere."

"That's not just it. Perhaps I feel a little awkward since she's all grown up now and I'm not her teacher anymore."

"Grown up? I'd say. Tell me you've seen the legs on that girl."

A loud smack alerted Sakura to the fact that Kakashi had struck Genma.

A long, pregnant pause followed, and Sakura found herself straining her ears in order to listen.

Finally, it came.

"Sakura's a beautiful girl," Kakashi said quietly. "But here I am - 35 years old. I'm an old man."

"So? Some girls like that."

"But Sakura's young. She deserves someone strong and composed, not some broken old man who used to be her teacher. She deserves the very best." Despite all of the things he was saying, the thing that frightened Sakura the most was his tone of voice. It was cold and empty, almost exhausted-sounding.

"I guess so," Genma said.

Sakura's heart fluttered, and her head felt full and dizzy. When Ayame waved at her to let her know that her order was ready, she sprang up from her seat, snatched the take-out bag, and left as soon as she could.

A blur of pink hair near the entrance caught Kakashi's eye, and he knew right then and there that he had been overheard.

--

That night, he didn't show up to walk her home. Sakura stayed after a little later, and was let out right when twilight settled in. She walked by herself, silently, and considered the exchanging of words she had heard earlier. What did it mean? Did Kakashi _like_ her?

Her head was down, so she didn't notice him standing outside her door, leaning against the frame patiently. When she looked up, her heart caught in her throat. This was strange.

"Sakura, I want to talk to you," Kakashi called out. Sakura slowed her pace, taking her time to walk up to him.

"About what?" she asked, trying to feign innocence.

"There are just a couple things I wanted to address with you." His gaze was everywhere but on her eyes.

"All right. Let me unlock my door quick and then I'll let you in." She did so, and pushed open the door, allowing him to go in first.

She shut the door softly behind her, and Kakashi was facing a wall, his forehead pressed against the painted surface.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, feeling something drop within her.

"Sakura, I hope you don't feel uncomfortable with our friendship."

It came suddenly. Sakura blinked, and then lashed out and grabbed his arm.

"No! Of course not! Why would I?"

"Because to everyone else, apparently it doesn't look right. And while I'm usually not one to give a damn about what other people think, if you're involved I will." He looked at her, both eyes visible, and the sharingan twitched.

"I don't care what they think," Sakura said. "You and I have a good bond."

He seemed to droop in relief. "Good..." He straightened himself, brushing off his vest. "It was just something I was wondering about. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm gonna go home and get some sleep." He gently pushed past her, and had his hand poised over the door knob when it flew out of her mouth.

"Kakashi, do you like me?"

He was perfectly still before he reacted, turning around and staring at her. "What?"

Sakura bit her lip. "I overheard what you and Genma were talking about earlier, and... I was just wondering. Like, are you attracted to me?"

Kakashi blinked, and Sakura caught sight of his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. "You're a very attractive woman, Sakura. Many men are attracted to you."

"But are you?" she asked weakly.

"I think you're very pretty, yes."

"But do you like me?"

"Of course I like you," he chuckled. "We're good friends."

"No, not like that... Like, the kind of 'like' that is usually reserved for people who are," Sakura's eyes lifted to meet his. "...more than friends."

"I don't know if I would say that," Kakashi murmured, glancing away.

"Because, I don't think you're some broken old man," Sakura said softly, taking a step towards him.

"Ah, so you really did overhear everything." Kakashi drooped. His shoulders sagged, and he looked at the floor.

She reached out and touched his arm, feeling him shiver slightly at the touch.

"I think you're handsome, and strong and composed..."

He looked as though he were trying hard to ignore her.

"And quite frankly, the best."

His eyes fell on her quickly, hard. "Sakura," he said, using that old tone of warning that he used to use to admonish her as a child.

Then, she did something just simply unheard of. She stood up on tiptoe, and brushed her lips over his masked ones.

It's funny how just one simple action can send the world off kilter.

Instantly, he switched places with her, pressing her hard up against the door, while one hand ripped down his mask and kissed her hard, directly on the lips. From the corner of her eye, Sakura could see the moon splash over the floor, a comfortable presence.

--

A couple months later, she finally caved, and took up another ANBU mission.

Yet again, Kakashi was head of the team, and did the job of briefing them on their responsibilities.

Sakura found herself happily distracted, remembering the night before. Kakashi had had her pinned against the bed, his mouth on her throat as he made his way down towards her chest. A quick hot blush settled on her cheeks.

"Sakura," his voice cut through her daydreams.

She flinched, blushing even harder as she realized that all of the eyes of her team mates were on her. She smiled weakly at Kakashi.

"Yes?"

"I'm just making sure that you're paying attention," he said, with a particularly indiscreet wink.

From there, he continued with the briefing, but Sakura was too busy smiling to herself to catch the rest.

--

END.


End file.
